Bothersome
by EzioADF
Summary: Ezio finds that having a sister running the brothel can sometimes be an inconvenience.


Ezio Auditore wasn't exactly an introvert, but after traveling all over the country destroying Leonardo's war machines so that Cesare Borgia would be rendered helpless, he preferred to spend a few quiet moments with himself.

Or with a beautiful courtesan….

He was on horseback and heading towards the Tiber Island Hideout, but before he knew it, he found himself steering his horse toward the Rosa in Fiore- a brothel he frequented whenever he found a respite from his hectic missions. A few courtesans were grouped outside, laughing and swaying their hips tantalizingly at the guards who leered at them.

Ezio could feel a twitch of lust inside him and he jumped down from his horse.

He could already imagine taking one of the courtesans in his arms and kissing and caressing every inch of skin. Driven by his fantasies, he walked forward and then halted when he saw Claudia peek out the front door and instruct the courtesans to prepare for the next lot of clients that were due any minute.

Ezio groaned. Claudia was his younger sister and he loved her dearly, but he wished she had never decided to take charge of the courtesans and become a Madame. Of all the things to be, this was one profession he wanted his sister to avoid and not because she would be dealing with lascivious men, but because she would make it her business to know when Ezio would be spending the night with a courtesan.

That was the worst- letting his sister know when he was with a courtesan. He was entitled to his privacy for heaven's sake!

He waited until Claudia went back in and then walked to the group of courtesans. To his chagrin he saw the courtesans he usually spent time with, already giving their services to other men. One of them caught his eye- a petite brunette who waved at him. She shrugged and gestured her regret of not being able to come to him.

Ezio gave her a small smile, silently telling her that he was fine with it. He considered going in and finding another courtesan to spend time with, when he spotted a young woman sitting on the bench with her legs crossed and pouting at the other courtesans.

She had long wavy blonde hair and fair flawless skin. When she looked away, he saw that she had big blue eyes and a small pink mouth. She was dressed in a peach colored dress that displayed her naked shoulders and accentuated her bosom. When she stood up, Ezio's eyes traveled to her legs and he swallowed. Her skin looked too smooth and begging to be touched.

He went over to her, pushing back his hood and running a hand to smooth his hair. "Ciao bella." He greeted.

She looked up at him curiously and then her wide blue eyes lit up with excitement. She gave him the most beautiful smile. "Ciao." She said in a syrupy voice.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before." Ezio said. "I would remember such a pretty face."

The girl's face lit up. "I just moved here from Toscana." She said. "Oh, the Madame says I must greet every patron properly." She curtseyed. "Welcome to the Rosa in Fiore, the most popular brothel in all of Roma."

Ezio smiled inwardly. It was refreshing to meet someone who wasn't in awe of him and his work. She clearly had no idea that he was Claudia's brother and that was perfect.

He bowed slightly. "Grazie for welcoming me."

She moved slightly, her hips dancing as she came closer. "Why don't we go inside?"

Ezio grinned. "Of course. By the way, you haven't given me your name."

She opened the front door and smiled. "Viola." She replied. "Come in."

He followed her and found himself in a crowded hall. Somewhere at the back, he spotted his sister sitting at her desk and writing in her ledger. With so many men and women chatting and indulging in pleasurable activities, Ezio hoped he wouldn't be noticed by his sister. He just wanted a breather from all his assassin and family duties and enjoy himself a little.

Viola took his hand and led him toward the staircase.

"Oh!" She said, suddenly slapping her forehead. "I almost forgot!"

"What?"

Viola squeezed his hand and then dropped it. "I am supposed to report to my Madame about my clients. You see, I'm new here and Claudia thinks it would be better for me if I took things slowly."

"Er... Do you have to?" Ezio frowned, though inwardly he was impressed by Claudia's management. She was protecting her courtesans, something the previous Madame hadn't done. He was touched that Claudia cared about the girls, but since he was planning to avoid her tonight, this practice seemed an inconvenience.

"I'll just be a minute." She crooned and then skipped to find Claudia.

Ezio huffed and then wondered if he should just go find a vacant room upstairs. Just standing here and looking down at the others was making him feel awkward. He was considering just leaving when he spotted Viola pushing through the crowd and coming to him.

"Ready?" Ezio asked.

"My Madame wants to know your name."

Ezio sighed. "Ez...uh...Enrico." He finished.

Viola smiled and then skipped back to Claudia. Ezio tapped his fingers on the railing impatiently. What was taking so long?

Viola returned and Ezio climbed up a stair.

"She wants to know where you're from." She said.

Ezio dropped his shoulders in frustration and rubbed his forehead. "Why?"

Viola shrugged. "I don't know. She said she hasn't heard of you before."

"Does your Madame keep a list of all the clients?" Ezio asked sarcastically.

"Si." Viola answered innocently.

Ezio blew a breath. "I just came from...um... Siena." He said. That was the truth. He had just destroyed one of Leonardo's war machines and come back from Siena.

Viola went back to Claudia and returned. "She wants to know your last name."

"What? Why the hell does she..." He looked down at Viola and saw her looking taken aback by his outburst. It wasn't her fault that Claudia was being so exasperating. Did every patron have to go through this rigorous ritual just to enter a brothel?

"It's..." He looked around the room and couldn't come up with a last name. "Fiore." He replied finally.

"Enrico Fiore?" Viola said curiously.

Ezio wondered if she would see through his deceit, but when she shrugged and went back to Claudia to report, he shook his head in dismay. When Viola returned to him with a frown, Ezio wanted to punch something.

"What now?" Ezio demanded.

Viola looked like she was about to cry. "Don't scream at me."

"Mi dispiace." Ezio said. "I shouldn't have scolded you. It's not your fault."

"It's alright. Let's go upstairs." Viola said, giving him a seductive smile. She took his hand and led him upstairs. They found a room at the end of the corridor and Viola opened the door.

"Come on in Enrico." She said.

Ezio was so mesmerized by the movement of her hips and her beautiful blue eyes, that for a moment he forgot everything that had happened.

"Who?"

Viola laughed and slapped his chest playfully. "Birbante." She pulled him inside the room and closed the door.

Ezio felt his mouth going dry as she swayed her hips for him. Her hands were at her bodice, untying the laces. She stopped and then pushed him into the bed. Ezio grinned as he fell on his back. He loved it when a woman took charge in the bedroom. Sometimes...

Viola was about to lean over to kiss him when there was a knock on the door. She straightened and tossed her golden locks away from her shoulders.

She went over to open the door, while Ezio lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Now what? Is that how Claudia was running the brothel? Disturbing clients every minute?

Perhaps it wasn't her, he hoped.

To his annoyance, it was Claudia who was knocking. She said something to Viola who closed the door slightly and came over to him.

"Madame Claudia wants to know what you do for a living."

"What?" Ezio asked, sitting up. "Is Claudia crazy? Who cares what I do for a living?"

"Don't scream." Viola said, her lips trembling. Her eyes started to water and Ezio stood and out his hands in her shoulders. "I'm not angry with you." He said in a soft tone. "I'm angry at your Madame."

"She said it was the responsible thing to do. I have much to learn from her." Viola said, wiping away a tear.

Ezio scratched the back of his neck. "Tell her I make..." Looking around the room, he glanced over at the sparse furniture. Red curtains, a wooden bed and chair and a small red rug in the floor. "Curtains. I make curtains."

Viola went back to the door and then came back in a few seconds. "She wants to know what kind of fabric you use."

Ezio gritted his teeth. "Tell her I don't do anything!" Ezio yelled. "Tell her I'm a bum and spend the whole day and night drinking wine. Tell her I gamble and that I don't have a home! Tell her.."

The door opened wider and Claudia entered, laughing hard. "That was easy." She said.

Ezio threw his hands up. "You knew, didn't you. All this time you knew it was me."

"Of course I knew." Claudia laughed.

Viola looked at both of them in confusion and crossed her arms.

"I'm pretty observant. Did you think I wouldn't notice you hiding under a tree trying to avoid meeting me? And then when you came in, did you think I was that ignorant to not notice a man in a hood entering?" Claudia was laughing so hard that there were tears in her eyes.

Ezio plopped down on the bed. "I hate you!"

Claudia laughed harder. "No you don't!"

Ezio dropped his head in his hands. "Go away!"

"Bene. Enjoy yourself now. Ciao Viola."

Claudia closed the door and Ezio let out a loud sigh. Viola sat beside him and put her hands on his chest.

"Now where were we?"

Ezio took her hands and kissed them. "Forget it. I'm not in the mood anymore." He sighed.


End file.
